Battery charge status indicator for user terminal device

• US 8,482,259 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Holding GmbH (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Holding GmbH (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Mueller, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US12/803,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20110001457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 320/136, 320/106, 320/152, 320/162
• US Class Current: 320/136
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators

Abstract

The invention relates to an indicator device for displaying a battery charge status of an electronic battery powered user terminal device, which is adapted to provide a plurality of applications to a user. The user terminal device comprises a plurality of electric components performing the applications, a battery supplying power to the electric components and a power supply control deactivating the electric components of individual applications at a predetermined battery charge status respectively. The indicator device comprises a detection device for detecting the battery charge status of the user terminal device and a display for displaying the battery charge status. A charging state arrangement is provided for determining and displaying an application-specific battery charge state of at least one of the applications.

Claims

1. An indicator device for displaying a battery charge status of an electronic battery powered a user terminal device, adapted to provide a plurality of applications to a user, said user terminal device comprises:

a plurality of electric components performing a plurality of individual applications,

a battery supplying power to said electric components,

a power supply control switching off a user terminal device at a predetermined minimum load of the battery and deactivating said electric components performing said individual applications before reaching said minimum load at a further predetermined battery charge statuses respectively;

said indicator device comprises;

a detection device detecting said battery charge status of said user terminal device;

a display displaying said battery charge status;

a charging state arrangement determining and displaying an application-specific battery charge state considering deactivation of at least one of said applications depending on the battery charge status, in addition to said displayed battery charge status; and

said charging state arrangement is adapted to determine said application-specific battery charge state of at least one of said applications using said battery charge status and a predetermined deactivation priority of the application.

2. An indicator device according to claim 1, further comprising a runtime determination arrangement for determining and displaying a remaining runtime of at least one of said applications depending on said application-specific battery charge state and a power consumption of active applications.

3. An indicator device according to claim 1, wherein a switching arrangement is provided for activating or deactivating at least one said applications by the user.

4. An indicator device according to claim 1, further comprising an arrangement for displaying a battery capacity utilization of at least one of said applications.

5. An indicator device according to claim 1, wherein an adjusting arrangement is provided for predetermining and/or changing the deactivation priority of at least one of said applications.

6. An electronic battery powered a user terminal device adapted to provide a plurality of applications to a user, said user terminal device comprises:

a plurality of electric components performing said applications;

a battery supplying power to said electric components;

a detection device detecting a battery charge status of said user terminal device;

a power supply control switching off a user terminal device at a predetermined minimum load of the battery and deactivating said electric components of individual applications before reaching said minimum load at further predetermined battery charge statuses respectively;

a display displaying said battery charge status;

a charging state arrangement is provided for determining and displaying an application-specific battery charge state of at least one of said applications in addition to said displayed battery charge status; and

said charging state arrangement determines said application-specific battery charge state of at least one of said applications using said battery charge status and a predetermined deactivation priority of the application.

7. An electronic battery powered user terminal device according to claim 6, wherein a runtime a determination arrangement is provided for determining and displaying a remaining runtime of at least one of said applications depending on said application-specific battery charge state and a power consumption of active applications.

8. An electronic battery powered user terminal device according to claim 6, wherein a switching arrangement is provided for activating or deactivating at least one of said applications by the user.

9. An electronic battery powered user terminal device according to claim 6, wherein said user terminal device is a mobile station for a mobile telecommunication network.

10. A method for displaying a battery charge status of an electronic battery powered user terminal device, which is adapted to provide a plurality of applications to a user, wherein said user terminal device comprises a plurality of electric components performing said applications and a battery supplying power to said electric components, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting said battery charge status by a detection unit;

switching off a user terminal device at a predetermined minimum load of the battery;

deactivating electric components of individual applications before reaching said minimum load at further predetermined battery charge statuses by a power supply control respectively;

displaying said battery charge status on a display; and

determining and displaying an application-specific battery charge state of at least one of said applications by charging state means in addition to said displayed battery charge status;

wherein said charging state arrangement determines said application-specific battery charge state of at least one of said applications using said battery charge status and a predetermined deactivation priority of the application.

11. A method for displaying a battery charge status according to claim 10, wherein said battery charge status and a predetermined deactivation priority of at least one of said applications are used for determining said application-specific battery charge state of the application.

12. A method for displaying a battery charge status according to claim 10, further comprising the step of determining and displaying a remaining runtime of at least one of said applications depending on said application-specific battery charge state and a power consumption of active applications by runtime determination means.

13. A method for displaying a battery charge status according to claim 10, wherein activating and/or deactivating of at least one of said applications by the user is provided.

14. A method for displaying a battery charge status according to claim 10, further comprising the step of displaying a battery capacity utilization induced by at least one of said applications.

15. A method for displaying a battery charge status according to claim 11, further comprising the step of predetermining and/or changing said deactivation priority of at least one of said applications by adjusting means.